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Syrian Kurds: Threat of Turkish Action Impacts Anti-IS Fight

Kurdish officials in Syria say any Turkish military action against them would affect their efforts in defeating Islamic State in its last stronghold in the country.

The comments come after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced a new military offensive against the U.S.-backed Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) in northeast Syria “within a few days.”

“This is a clear declaration of war,” Nuri Mahmud, a YPG spokesperson, told VOA. “We take Erdogan’s threats against us very seriously. He has repeatedly expressed his desire to occupy our land in northeast Syria."

Mahmud added that “our partners in the U.S.-led coalition are well aware of these Turkish moves because a Turkish attack against us can also impact the U.S. efforts to defeat [IS] terrorists.”

The United States maintains a military presence in areas under the control of Kurdish forces in Syria, which has been instrumental in the ongoing fight against the Islamic State (IS) terror group.